AFT&C news🗞️ - Page 15 of 18 - Aquatic Facility Training and Consultants

The Pool Service Entrepreneur

Post author:Contributor
Post published:January 1, 2019
Post category:Pool Service Tips

The Pool Service Entrepreneur Several years ago I attended a social event in town where a young woman approached and introduced herself. After exchanging names she asked the familiar question:…

University of Houston Aquatics

Post author:Contributor
Post published:December 23, 2018
Post category:University Aquatics

Managing a large aquatic facility at a university like the University of Houston Aquatics requires balancing the needs of multiple user groups while maintaining strict water quality, safety, and operational…

Chlorine Gas Cloud Injuries at Public Pools

Post author:Rudy
Post published:December 17, 2018
Post category:Chemical Safety

Chlorine Gas Cloud Injuries at Public Pools: The Role of Circulation and Safety Interlocks Chlorine Gas Cloud Injuries at Public Pools can lead to serious health concerns and need…

Raise Pool Service Prices

Post author:Rudy
Post published:December 11, 2018
Post category:Marketing

Raise Pool Service Prices: A Practical Guide for Pool Service Professionals To successfully raise pool service prices, professionals should communicate transparently with their clients about the reasons for the changes.…

Field Sampling of Swimming Pool “Black Algae”

Post author:Rudy
Post published:December 3, 2018
Post category:Algae Subscription Content

Wet mounts were prepared from the sample biomass and examined at 100× magnification using a Nikon Eclipse Ti-S inverted microscope equipped with phase-contrast optics and epifluorescence. Field Sampling of Swimming Pool “Black Algae”

Microcystin Analysis in Swimming Pool Cyanobacterial Biofilms

Post author:Rudy
Post published:December 3, 2018
Post category:Algae Subscription Content

Microcystin Analysis in Swimming Pool Cyanobacterial Biofilms

Florida Southern College Aquatics

Post author:Contributor
Post published:November 25, 2018
Post category:University Aquatics

We are fortunate at Florida Southern College Aquatics that the school sees the pool and swim team as a priority, and we are able to maintain our pump room and ensure we are up to code at all times.

Investigating the True Nature of Swimming Pool “Black Algae”

Post author:Rudy
Post published:November 18, 2018
Post category:Algae Subscription Content

Biofilm-forming microorganisms—including cyanobacteria (Swimming Pool “Black Algae” ) —can exhibit increased resistance to chemical treatments because the extracellular polymeric matrix protects the organisms embedded within the colony.

Successfully Marketing a Pool Service Business

Post author:Rudy
Post published:November 12, 2018
Post category:Marketing

Marketing a Pool Service Business: Evidence-Based Strategies for Finding Your First Customers Starting a swimming pool service company is often appealing for one simple reason: compared with many other trades,…

Understanding Indoor Pool Smells

Post author:Contributor
Post published:November 5, 2018
Post category:Water Chemistry

Understanding Indoor Pool Smells Understanding Chloramines, Combined Chlorine, and Breakpoint Chlorination Have you ever walked into an indoor swimming pool facility and immediately noticed a sharp “chlorine smell” in the…

Talking Pools Podcast

If you’ve ever stared at a test kit like it personally insulted your family… welcome home.

Talking Pools Podcast is the pool industry’s “pull up a chair” show—part shop talk, part field manual, part therapy session—built for people who actually live on pool decks: commercial operators, service techs, builders, facility managers, and anyone responsible for water that can’t afford to go sideways. The network was created to level up the pool industry with real-world conversations on water chemistry, filtration, troubleshooting, construction, safety, and the business side of keeping pools open and budgets intact.

Here’s the hook: it’s not theory-first. It’s experience-first—a roster of seasoned pros (with 250+ years of combined “been there, fixed that” wisdom) turning complicated problems into practical moves you can use the same day. And it’s not one voice, one vibe, one corner of the industry: it’s a network of shows designed to reflect how diverse this work really is—different regions, different specialties, different personalities.

Also worth saying out loud: women aren’t “special guests” here—they’re on the mic as hosts, from the beginning, with an intentionally balanced roster. That matters, because the best ideas in this industry don’t come from one lane—they come from the whole road.

If you want a podcast that can make you laugh and make you better at what you do—without pretending the job is easier than it is—Talking Pools is the one you queue up before the first stop, and keep on when the day starts getting weird.

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On this episode of the Talking Pools Podcast, Lee Salisbury, Shane from Auckland, and Nick from Brisbane dive headfirst into one of the biggest challenges facing pool professionals everywhere: time management.

From subscription fatigue to overloaded schedules, the crew discusses how pool service companies can streamline operations, eliminate wasted effort, and create smarter workflows without adding more stress—or more monthly software fees.

Nick shares how he has transformed Buffer Zone into a centralized operational hub for his business, using it for everything from technician scheduling and supplier management to equipment manuals, staff notes, training resources, and client communication. The conversation explores how keeping everything inside one ecosystem reduces missed jobs, forgotten tasks, duplicated subscriptions, and operational chaos.

The episode also explores creative “workarounds” within software systems—showing listeners how to use scheduling tools for personal appointments, admin blocks, vehicle servicing reminders, supplier pickups, and inventory management. Shane discusses his previous use of the Timely calendar system and how similar functionality can be recreated directly inside Buffer Zone to simplify operations and reduce reliance on external apps.

Lee takes the conversation further into productivity systems, sharing how tools like Google Workspace, Google Calendar, Google Tasks, Google Forms, Google Drive, and automation integrations can dramatically improve efficiency for pool service companies. The discussion highlights real-world examples of live technician reporting, automated spreadsheets, winter repair prospecting, quote generation, inventory forecasting, and field-to-office communication systems that save hours every week.

The team also discusses password management, shared staff access, cloud-based documentation, technician accountability, and how centralizing information can protect businesses when employees leave or systems fail.

Most importantly, this episode focuses on the philosophy of continuous improvement—making small operational changes that create massive long-term gains. Whether you’re a solo operator or managing multiple technicians, the crew emphasizes that investing time into better systems today can save enormous amounts of time, stress, and money tomorrow.

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Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com